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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Rec / The prevalence of abnormal behaviours in dressage, eventing ...
The Veterinary record1995; 137(2); 36-37; doi: 10.1136/vr.137.2.36

The prevalence of abnormal behaviours in dressage, eventing and endurance horses in relation to stabling.

Abstract: The behaviour of horses competing in different disciplines was studied and the relationship between the time they spent out of the stable and the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was examined. The owners of dressage, eventing and endurance horses were sent a questionnaire and a total of 1101 responses were received, giving data on 1750 horses. The behaviours studied were wood-chewing, weaving, crib-biting/wind-sucking and box-walking. The reported percentage prevalences of abnormal behaviour for the dressage, eventing and endurance horses were 32.5, 30.8 and 19.5, respectively. The relationship between the time spent in the stable and the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was examined by chi 2 tests which showed that there were significant linear trends for the eventing group (P < 0.001) and the dressage group (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the time a horse spends out of the stable is related to the discipline for which it is being trained and in dressage and eventing horses the time spent in a stable is correlated with an increased risk of abnormal behaviour.
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Publication Date: 1995-07-08 PubMed ID: 8525580DOI: 10.1136/vr.137.2.36Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The researchers examined the correlation between the amount of stabling time and the prevalence of abnormal behaviors in dressage, eventing, and endurance horses, and found a significant association in dressage and eventing horses; more stabling time resulted in more abnormal behaviors.

Research Methodology and Participants

  • The study collected data from horse owners competing in dressage, eventing, and endurance. Individuals were sent questionnaires, resulting in 1101 valid responses reporting on 1750 horses in total.
  • Specific abnormal behaviors examined in this study included weaving, crib-biting/wind-sucking, box-walking, and wood-chewing.

Findings: Prevalence of Abnormal Behaviours

  • The data revealed varying levels of abnormal behavior prevalence among the three categories of horses. 32.5% of dressage horses, 30.8% of eventing horses, and 19.5% of endurance horses displayed abnormal behaviors.

Impact of Stabling on Abnormal Behaviour

  • The investigation into the relationship between abnormal behavior and stabling time was performed using chi-square tests. These tests were intended to determine whether there were significant associations or patterns between the variables.
  • Clear linear trends emerged amongst eventing and dressage horses where an increase in stabling time correlated with an increase in abnormal behaviors, statistically significant with P<0.001 for eventing horses and P<0.05 for dressage horses.
  • However, the correlation between stabling time and abnormal behavior wasn’t significant with endurance horses.

Conclusions and Implications

  • Overall, the study concluded that the time a horse spends out of the stable is related to the discipline of its training. Furthermore, for dressage and eventing horses, more time spent in the stable translates into a higher risk of abnormal behavior.
  • The findings could have significant implications for horse training practices, indicating the importance of ensuring that horses—particularly those in dressage and eventing—spend ample time outside the stable to mitigate the risk of abnormal behaviors.

Cite This Article

APA
McGreevy PD, French NP, Nicol CJ. (1995). The prevalence of abnormal behaviours in dressage, eventing and endurance horses in relation to stabling. Vet Rec, 137(2), 36-37. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.137.2.36

Publication

The Veterinary record
ISSN: 0042-4900
NlmUniqueID: 0031164
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 137
Issue: 2
Pages: 36-37

Researcher Affiliations

McGreevy, P D
  • University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford.
French, N P
    Nicol, C J

      MeSH Terms

      • Animal Husbandry / methods
      • Animals
      • Behavior, Animal
      • Horse Diseases / psychology
      • Horses
      • Physical Conditioning, Animal
      • Prevalence
      • Stereotyped Behavior
      • Surveys and Questionnaires

      Citations

      This article has been cited 23 times.
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